There is an entire world beyond slotted and Phillips head screws. Learn your screw types and a whole lot more about the history of screws.

For each screw drive type, from ancient Slot through to space-age Lox we present a quick view of the screw head, the drive name, a picture of the appropriate drive bit, followed by an explanation of the type. Also presented are the advantages and disadvantages of each drive type.

Never find yourself peeling back the warranty sticker on an electronic device again and exclaiming "What the hell is that!" when confronted with an exotic screw type.

If you've ever purchased any furniture from Ikea (or similar mass-market retailers), you'll be familiar with the trials and tribulations of the S-shaped Allen keys (known by our US brethren as hex keys) supplied with many items to screw them together. Nate at Ikea Hacker came up with a way to simplify the process of using one to assemble or disassemble an item: cut one end off with a pair of bolt cutters, and then you can fit the remaining piece into an electric drill, giving you a powered Allen key that'll greatly speed up the task. Of course, you can already do this with a commercial L-shaped Allen key, but why pass up a freebie? [Ikea Hacker]

A group of users at web site EDCForums have tweaked their Leatherman (and Leatherman-like) multi-tools into the ultimate multi-key tools. The process appears to involve grinding the edges off your regular keys then bolting them in place of a few or all of the regular tools (you can mix and match keys and screwdrivers if you like, for example). If you liked our previously posted DIY compact keychain but wanted a little more robust key holder, the variety of user-contributed multi-key ideas at EDCForums are worth a look. It's like a Keyport, only way less expensive and arguably more useful. Thanks Edney!

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If you don't feel like you're doing a job right unless you involve power tools in the mix, web site Sleepy Dog Labs details how to put together a cleaning brush with power-drill chops. In all it's a pretty simple process, and when you're done you'll be begging for an excuse to do some cleaning. The author uses his brush to clean the bathtub, but this power brush is the natural enemy of any surface where grime reigns.

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Have the slowly-falling prices and space-saving appeal of a flatscreen TV finally broken down your money-saving instincts? Wired's How-To Wiki has a few tips to help you mount your premium panel yourself and not have it look like, well, you did it yourself. The wiki is still young, but already contains some great guidelines and a few reader-submitted tips, including advice on how to run your cables through a mounting bracket and behind other gear:

(You'll need) a spool of nylon string, a steel washer, and a magnet taped to a pencil or a coat hanger. Tie the washer to the end of the string then drop it from the top hole and use the magnet if needed to pull it out. The string can also be used to measure your needed cable length. Put a piece of tape at the top marking how much you need, don't cut it, pull it out the bottom till you get the tape mark.

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Keep a screwdriver with your everywhere you go with the coin-sized Pocket Screwdriver. At 1" wide, this pocket screwdriver sports a variable thickness so it can fit snugly in several different sizes of screws—meaning it should work a good deal better than the dimes, quarters, and pennies you've been using up until now. The pocket screwdrivers come in packs of 12 for $8.50. If you're looking for a little more power in your pocket, check out the credit card survival multi-tool.

Web site Cool Tools recommends the Lee Valley Jar Opener, an unassuming piece of strategically shaped metal that takes all the work out of wrestling a jar open:

You simply place it on the top of the jar with either of the rolled sides caught just under the edge of the lid. Your fingers hold the piece in place, which acts as a lever, and the bend in the metal serves as the fulcrum. The downward pressure of the heel of your hand provides just enough force to release the vacuum without distorting the lid. I can happily report no more bent spoon handles, no more splatters, no more spills, just a nice "pop" sound when the vacuum has been broken.

Technology enthusiast Chris Garrett has written up a good list of the ten online tools that he just can't live without: Firefox, ScribeFire, and Skype among others. It's amazing how much we can get done using the various fantastic tools that are available to us free and clear on the web—which brings me to the point of this post.What are the tools that you can't live without? What online apps and services make you squeal with productive glee? Let's hear what and why in the comments.